I talked to the seller last night. He wants $24000 (about £15000) for it. Yes that is insane. As you all know, vintage bike prices in India have gone up way too much in last few years. There was a time when a lot of bikes were available and for very reasonable prices. Most bikes are already exported out. And domestic economy is hot which means bikes are in demand. I was in India this November and bought this 46 VB. This gentleman (not the guy in picture, that is me) wanted $7000 for his VB. I was able to get him down to $5000 (about £3000). Still very expensive if you compare it with the prices people were paying in the 70s and 80s. I want to know where did those two Broughs go? They were exported out of India in the 80s.

I remember when there were plenty of old bikes in India and Pakistan back in the 1980s and walking around the backstreets would often reveal a small mechanic's shop with a Triumph TRW, BSA M20 or similar, often from around the time of independence. Rawalapindi seemed to have more than most. I met an Australian girl in the Baluchistan desert travelling with some Patans with an Indian 4 on the roof which had been found in the North West Frontier and she was taking it to the UK to sell but even then she had paid £3k for it and I have to wonder if she would have broken even at that time.

Hello Akumar, thanks for the nice picture, your'e looking rightfully proud.Like Brenton remarks, it looks like a ±'53 model but that does not matter, ride it & enjoy !Only front brake lever needs a bit TLC before you take it for a ride.The lever should point to the front and the cable also runs in front of the fork leg.

Cable stop sits on inside front mudguard stay, useually a rubber grommet attaches it to the right side of the mudguard.I am not sure if the brake will work o.k. in the set up like you have it now.Cam inside drum works slightly different now.Please see to it before using it in anger.

Hi Vince and Brenton, Thanks for tips on the front brake. It probably is a 1953. I bought the bike this November during my short India visit. I never got a chance to tinker around with it. That is why it is sitting indoors in my home in Goa. If any of you guys plan to visit Goa, feel free to let me know. You are welcome to stay there and probably play around with the Ariel. You can also see that rigid AJS in the picture. That is a recent acquisition too.